AI-guided mental health tool piloted at GP surgeries

An AI-guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) tool to help manage mild to moderate mental health problems is being piloted in GP surgeries. 

Nearly a quarter of mental health patients (23%) wait more than 12 weeks to start treatment due to lack of consultant psychiatrists, according to research released by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2022.

MindBay combines clinician-authored CBT modules with adaptive AI that personalises delivery language but not clinical content, so that patients can access help sooner.

Taha Ouertani, chief executive and founder of MindBay, said: “Every day in the NHS, there is the same challenge – demand far outstrips capacity. Clinicians need technology that genuinely supports care rather than adds to the burden.

“MindBay is designed to complement, not replace, human connection, giving practitioners better insight and people faster access to the help they need.”

MindBay is an NHS-grade digital therapy tool, developed to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) standards, compliant with the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria and UKCA Class 1 certified for clinical safety.

Each MindBay programme includes eight guided ‘growth coach’ sessions with short in-between CBT and mindfulness exercises to help users manage daily stress and build resilience.

The NHS pilot at three GP surgeries, will evaluate MindBay’s impact on waiting times, antidepressant prescribing, and repeat consultations.

It is taking place at St Wulfstan in Warwickshire East, Ringland Medical Practice in Newport, Wales, and an unnamed London-based surgery.

Early pilot data from participating surgeries show 70% of invited patients engage within 48 hours, with 92% reporting they would recommend MindBay.

Initial modelling suggests the tool could save an average practice up to £72,000 per year through reduced clinician and administrative workload – equivalent to freeing several days of GP time per month.

“I’ve spent my career building AI solutions that make complex systems work better.

“When I turned that lens on mental-health care, I saw both a data problem and a human one: brilliant clinicians often stretched far-too thin, and people waiting too long for help.

“MindBay bridges that gap with tools that are clinically sound, ethical and scalable. It is not a replacement for medical treatment but a trusted bridge to help people stay supported, informed, and hopeful,” Taha added.

The developer hopes that the pilot will lead to a wider NHS adoption in 2026.

Meanwhile, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and NICE have secured £2 million from Wellcome to continue work on the regulation of digital mental health technologies (DMHTs).

The programme aims to improve outcomes for people with mental health conditions by ensuring that both medical professionals and the public have safe and effective access to DMHTs.